Some community members reported their distress and concern to StigmaWatch about the reporting of the tragic death of elderly Gold Coast woman Carmel Wuth at the end of March 2008.

From The Gold Coast Bulletin the headline ‘Elderly in dark as psychos move in’ (4.4.08) and the headline ‘Psycho Killer’ along with the phrase ‘eerie mental health feel’ to describe the death (31.3.08), were highlighted. While recognising the sadness of the case, readers feared this wording might reinforce the misconception that all people with a mental illness are violent and dangerous.

StigmaWatch contacted The Bulletin to pass this feedback on and to encourage avoidance of the term psycho.